Science and Technology: Coupling Novelty in High Vacuum Application

With a successful WALTHER-PRÄZISION Quick-Connection-System, in a high vacuum application, the myth, that leakages are inevitable, is now disproven. In a joint project, Dr. Dong-Du Mai from the Courant Research Centre for Nano-Spectroscopy and X-Ray Imaging (CRC) partnered with WALTHER-PRÄZISION and used its connection products.

Under the management of Prof. Dr. Tim Salditt, Dr. Mai was creating a laboratory for short pulse X-Ray analysis. For his scientific work, Dr. Mai is using a water cooled Princeton CCD-camera under a vacuum which is built into a diffraction (XRD) chamber. All components had to be designed to ensure quick installation, teardown or modification. The scientist was looking for high vacuum capable, very compact, quick disconnect couplings with a nominal diameter DN 4mm to 6mm for a maximum pressure of 8 bar (116 PSI). A very important requirement for Dr. Mai was a “dry” environment for the camera area without any cooling water leakages.

Dr. Mai thought of WALTHER-PRÄZISION, as he already used their couplings during his time as postgraduate to safely connect helium lines. The WALTHER-PRÄZISION couplings are well known for the Clean-Break technology and so it was no surprise that Dr. Mai chose a Typ CT-005 quick-disconnect coupling to be able to remove the camera quickly from the test center. WALTHER-PRÄZISION installed the couplings and performed a leak test when the system was coupled. The required leak tightness of 10-8mbar/s (or 0.000000001450377 PSI/s) was easily surpassed. The very positive test result was so impressive that WALTHER-PRÄZISION CT-005 couplings are replacing the conventional hose connections to make the water cooled turbo pump more flexible.

Novelty in high vacuum: Non-spill and flexibility - WALTHER-PRÄZISION Clean-Break Quick Disconnect Couplings Typ CT-005 used in the cooling circuit of a Princeton-CCD camera. Photo: WALTHER-PRÄZISION